Kagirinai
by RebornBlood
Summary: He should not have been there... But he was... He was there through sheer willpower and his love for her... He was bound to her, so he would never abadon her... he was Kagirinai, he became so just for her... All he was, was for her... and her alone...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone I'm here with a new story. This is based off of Chapter 55 of the Princess Resurrection manga. As for what happens: read the chapter!**

**I don't own Princess Resurrection.  
_**

"Let me say one thing," Sylvia said as she held up her sword and looked at her younger sister, "You can't possibly win against me."

Hime ran straight for Sylvia, the First Princess readied her sword and closed her eyes in sheer confidence.

"Onee-sama!" Hime cried as she brought up her rapier. A figure dashed in front of Sylvia.

Hime's eyes widened as her rapier was halfway brought up, "You're the…"

The girl's long black hair turned pure white and her eyes went red and her pupils turned into slits.

'_Mermaid…!'_ Hime finished her sentence in her mind. She barely brought up her rapier to block as the mermaid swung her axe. The force of the swing sent Hime skidding back.

"…Does this mean that Emile," Hime said to herself, "Trusted Sylvia with his own blood warrior…?"

The mermaid brought up the axe to swing again. Hime started to bring up her rapier when she stopped. She stared. Hiro was standing in front of her protectively, his own axe held in front of him at the ready, he was in his school uniform, his hair was white, and while she couldn't see his eyes she knew they were the same as the mermaid's: red with slits for pupils.

The sight before Hime suddenly shattered as the mermaid cut into the flesh on her arm.

All she'd seen was an image. No more no less. Hiro was never really there. It would've been impossible. Not only did he have not seemed to have aged, but it would've been impossible with her having been stripped from the timeline for nine whole years. He was gone. Dead for good. And there was no one to protect her from anything this time.

"See? I told you so…" Sylvia said as she came in front of Hime her sword raised over her head, as she brought it down she said, "I promise, Hime, your death will not burden me…"

Hime watched as the sword came. Time seemed to slow. As the sword drew nearer, Hime's mind wondered back to Hiro. She could see him. Brown hair, brown eyes, thin frame, his school uniform. All of it was in her mind with perfect clarity. He smiled at her.

Was he inviting her... to the afterlife? Was he waiting for her? Was this really how she was going to die? Fighting for a throne she wanted nothing to do with? Was this truly engrained as her fate since the moment she was born?

She looked to Hiro almost like he would have the answers. His smile had changed to smirk and she watched as he turned around and looked at Sylvia and shook his head. He brought up his hands like he was holding a sword to block Sylvia's killing strike.

"I am the eternal void." Hiro said, "I am the perfect steel. I am the undying sword. With my sword in hand I will reap the souls of my enemies and protect my Mistress. I am Kagirinai Tsuwamono (Eternal Warrior)! Your end has come!"

Hime watched as Sylvia's eyes widen with shock and horror as her blade slowly came down toward Hiro.

"You've true gall Sylvia." Hiro said, his voice was suddenly a lot deeper, "Trying to attack my beautiful Mistress in such a way."

Hiro's entire image shattered like glass before Hime and was replaced with something else. A man stood in Hiro's stead. A red glow appeared in front of him and he reached out and grabbed Sylvia and threw her over his shoulder into the wall behind Hime.

The man turned around and Hime could get a proper look at him. He wore silver armor outlined by gold and red. The armor on the shoulders was large and looked somewhat bulky, leg guards wrapped entirely around his thighs, his feet were covered in metal boots, armor from the shoulders trailed down over the back of his arms and covered up to the back of his hands.

Armor also wrapped around the man's waist, protecting it from harm. A dark blue body suit framed his muscles. A mane of white hair hung down to his knees and his face was covered by a blank black mask that had only a single toothpick thin slit for his right eye to peer out of.

In his hands was a nodachi that was as long as the man was tall and it had a blunt, flat tip, the sheath to the weapon lay attached to his back. He pointed his blade at Sylvia as she picked herself up.

"Well, witch?" the man asked, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"How-When-Why are _you _here?" Sylvia demanded stumbling with her words at first.

"Is that all you have to say?" the man questioned, "Is that really what you want to say before you die? Your last words be something so meaningless?"

"Answer me!" Sylvia demanded, "Why are you here?"

"To protect what I have sought and waited for, for nine long, agonizing years." the man answered.

"What?" Sylvia just stared at the man, "What do you mean, Kagirinai…?"

Kagirinai didn't spare Sylvia another moment as he turned to look at Hime who was sitting against the wall clutching her wounded arm. He knelt down to put himself at eye level with the Second Princess.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Hime only looked at him still holding her arm.

"Let me see that." Kagirinai said as he tenderly reached for Hime's arm.

Hime didn't know why, but moved her hand out of the way, and allowed Kagirinai to gently touch her wound. The moment his covered hand touched Hime injury it steamed shut, not unlike an immortal soldier of the royal family's wound would.

"There." Kagirinai nodded as he stood up, "All better."

Hime looked up at him, "How…?"

"It is a long story, my Mistress." Kagirinai said, "I will explain everything later. But for now…"

Kagirinai trailed off as his gaze returned to Sylvia, "For now the woman's soul must be reaped."

Micasa, the mermaid, and Francette all got between Kagirinai and Sylvia.

"So you all also wish to be reaped? So be it." Kagirinai took is stance that place his sword behind him somewhat, "Your ends have come."

The two blood warriors and one gynoid charged Kagirinai. Micasa swung the battle axe in her hands. Kagirinai held up his arm and a transparent red barrier appeared in front of his arm and stopped the axe cold, it broke apart as Kagirinai's hand shot forward and gripped Micasa's throat.

"Join Severin." he said as he rammed his sword through the girl's gut tossed her over the side of the railing down to the foyer, steam did not rise from her wound, it showed no sign off closing like it should have.

The mermaid came next. Kagirinai spun around with one leg out and knocked the axe away and then lashed out with his other foot and sent the mermaid flying into the wall next to Sylvia and she slumped over unconscious.

Kagirinai jumped over Francette's drill arm and landed behind her and swung his sword in a wide horizontal arc that sliced into Francette's back, the gynoid turned around and swung her normal hand at the mask swordsman.

He jumped back and dashed forward again the end of the sword's hilt slamming into Francette's abdomen. He sent a kick to the gynoid's head which made her stumble back. He gripped her arm and pulled her towards him and then he seemed to push on her gently but the force of the push was much greater than it seemed as Francette was thrown back into the opposite wall.

And her connection sent a mass of cracks along entire wall and sparks danced across her body as an evident sign that she was injured.

Kagirinai turned his attention back to Sylvia. He raised his blade high above his head.

"Empty Soul Style: Judgment." Kagirinai brought down his sword and an arc of pure energy shot from the blade and soared straight for Sylvia, "Be reaped!"

It connected and Francette exploded behind Kagirinai. Sylvia was gone.

"Again another soul has departed." Kagirinai said sheathing his massive blade. He turned around to look at Hime. He walked over to her and knelt down.

"You are unharmed I hope, Mistress?" Kagirinai asked, "If you are then please allow me to treat your wounds."

"...I am fine." Hime said finding her voice after a moment, "Who are you?"

"I am Kagirinai Tsuwamono." Kagirinai said, "I am truly blessed to see you again, Mistress."

Hime looked at Kagirinai, "Have we… met before…?"

"You can tell…?" Kagirinai reached up to his mask, "And here I thought I might have to convince you…"

"Allow me to show you…" Kagirinai gasped the edges of his mask and small click was heard and he removed the mask and set it down next to him.

Hime saw he was missing an eye, a nasty, jagged vertical scar crossed over his left eye. His right eye, however, was intact. It was red with the pupil having been replaced with a slit. His face was sharp and narrow like a nobleman's would be like, but it also held a certain roughness to it.

"Do you remember me…?" Kagirinai asked, "My Mistress…?"

Kagirinai cupped Hime's cheek, "Do you...? My beautiful Hime?"

Hime's eyes narrowed for moment before they widened again, "Hiro…?"

"My Hime... It has been far to long since I laid my sight upon thy beauty." Kagirinai said, "Truly far too long…"  
_

**OK! And that's a wrap of chapter 1! A quick note: I'm not too sure how long this story is going to turn out; it could be very short, average length, or long. I don't know. We'll just have to see how this goes.**

**Please review! Reviews help me update faster!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2! Also everyone, could you all help me out with something? I need help with other Princess Resurrection story, I can't think of something to do for Princess Lightning (episode 7), Hiro never went to the hospital and he's far to strong to be simply captured and taken there… so yeeeeaaahhh… I need some help. Please leave an idea or two in your review!**

**I don't own Princess Resurrection.  
_**

Hime stared at Hiro. He was alive, she didn't know how, but he was alive and he had protected her just like he had always done before.

"How... How are you still alive?" Hime asked, "You should be dead…"

"People don't normally account for one's strength of heart or will, my Mistress." Kagirinai said, "Even without any blood of royalty, I lived through sheer will power, I waited for nine long years for your appearance."

"It has been far too long…" Kagirinai continued, moving his face closer to Hime's, "And now you're here and are mine once again…"

Kagirinai's lips gently touched Hime's for just a few brief moments before he pulled away. Then he kissed her again, more forcefully this time. Hime pushed against his lips with her own, deepening the kiss, letting some gnawing craving in her come to the surface. This jst seemed to feel so very strangly right to her. Hiro's hands cupping her face, his lips against hers, the warmth she felt coming from his body; it all just felt so right...

Kagirinai pulled away after what seemed like over five minutes, "I have missed you so much."

"It seems you've... become quite the man while I was away haven't you?" Hime tenderly traced the scar over his left eye.

"I have, my Mistress." Kagirinai smiled grasping Hime's hand with his, "I did so I could protect you even better than I did so many years ago."

"You did well then," Hime told him, "just as you did now. I always thought that only a single blood warrior was enough for me."

"And I believe you are all I ever needed." Kagirinai placed his mask back over his face and picked Hime up bridal style, "We should leave now."

Hime wrapped her arms around Kagirinai's neck out of reaction and asked, "Where are we going?"

"Home." Kagirinai said, "We're going home."

"The mansion's been reduced to shambles." Hime told him.

Kagirinai stared at her through the one eyehole in his mask as he passed through the door, "The mansion has been smashed, blown up, burned, obliterated, and many other things. We always fixed it before and we can fix it now. Even if we have to tear the whole thing down and build from scratch like before at times. It _will _be rebuilt."

"You really have changed," Hime smiled.

"Not as much as you might think." Kagirinai replied.

The streets of Sasanaki were dark and quiet. A light chill covered the air, it didn't seem to bother Kagirinai through. Hime unconsciously rubbed her arms against the light chill.

"Cold?" the masked swordsman asked, "You can get plenty warm when we're home and next to the fireplace."

"Fireplace?" she didn't remember there being a fireplace anywhere in the mansion.

Kagirinai nodded, "Yes. I'll make sure to build one right in master quarters that'll be next to your… our room."

"Our?" Hime questioned, "My, my, someone really has become a man. Already claiming that we will share a bed, how forceful."

"I'm not going to be sleeping in those horrifically hard and uncomfortable beds that you had in the basement." Kagirinai snorted, "I got minor back pains from those things!"

"Oh? Did you know? Well I hope they won't alter your 'performance'."

"And you say _I'm _forceful!" Kagirinai laughed, "For such an aristocrat you really have 'bad' mind don't you?"

"You expect a virgin not to have fantasies every now and again?" Hime raised a thin eyebrow.

"So you admit it!"

"Don't go pushing your luck, Hiro." Hime warned.

"I don't believe in luck anymore," Kagirinai said as he started the trek up the winding hill road that lead up to the mansion, "Only skill."

"Of which I take you have a lot of?" Kagirinai smirked under his mask.

"More than you know." Kagirinai held Hime closer, "And in more ways than one."

"Perverse devil." Hime taunted.

"Look who's talking!" Kagirinai countered, "_You _came onto _me _with the perverted talk!"

"Well _you _were the who kissed _me_."

"But you didn't slap me away this time. I say that says something."

Hime smirked, "Oh, Hiro. You apparently still have much to learn about me still. The others were watching then."

"So you wanted my 'innocent' lips then?"

"Not telling." Hime smiled coyly.

"_You're _acting coyly?" Kagirinai raised an eyebrow under his mask, "Well now, that's a first!"

"Are almost there, Hiro?" Hime asked.

Kagirinai nodded, "Yes, just a bit more. I'll start on the construction tomorrow. I hope you don't mind camping for one night."

Hime shook her head, "No, if it's just for one night, then I'm fine."

"OK," Kagirinai said as he came to a halt, "We're here."

The mansion was just as Hime said: in shambles. Glass on windows was shattered, the windows themselves were all mostly broken in, the front doors where rotting and were barely on the hinges, the stones were cracked, the shingles were falling off and parts of the roof were caved in, and the weeds and grass had grown over a lot of the mansion.

"Well I have a lot of work to do tomorrow, it seems." Kagirinai sighed.

"Mistress we should… Huh?" Kagirinai looked down at Hime only to find her already asleep, _'As pretty asleep as she is awake.'_

Kagirinai smiled as he went at sat underneath a tree that look at least still partially healthy with Hime in his arms. He took off his mask and set it off to the side and did the same with his sheathed sword on his back. He held Hime closer and closed his eyes.

He was going to be a bit busy tomorrow.  
_

**Here's chapter two. A bit shorter than chapter one but it's still good I feel.**

**Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3!**

**I don't own Princess Resurrection.  
_**

"COME ON MAGOTS! FASTER! FASTER! I WANT THIS PLACE REBUILT FROM THE GROUND UP! HURRY AND TEAR IT DOWN! I WANT WHAT'S STILL UP NOW GONE IN THE NEXT TEN MINUTES!"

These were the shouts that Hime had awoken to. She sat up and groggily rubbed her eyes of the sleep that was in them. Her eyes had to adjust to the light, when they came into focus she saw Kagirinai barking orders to a mass of people.

A loud boom was heard and Kagirinai let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to a pile of rubble and picked up a large chunk of stone and tossed it aside. He picked up some little impish creature and tossed it back into the fray of many other working creatures.

Kagirinai looked at another group of much taller workers and barked, "Put you backs into it, elves!"

Hime blinked. Elves…? Elves _never _did any physical labor…!

Kagirinai kicked a little green thing with pointy ears, "Faster goblin!"

His one eye trailed over the workers that were dismantling the mansion, his eye narrowed as he locked onto a few sitting in a shady spot under a tree. He went over and slammed his foot down in front of them.

"Did I say you could stop?" Kagirinai growled. The small group jumped up and sped off back to the mansion to continue their work.

"Worms." the swordsman sneered.

"Hiro?" Kagirinai turned around and saw Hime looking at him.

"Ah, Mistress, I was wondering when you were going to wake up, slept like a baby, you did," Kagirinai smiled under his mask, "Good afternoon then."

"Afternoon?" Hime asked.

"Yes," Kagirinai nodded, "It is the afternoon now. You must have been very tired, more than I would've thought."

"Hey guys!" a voice called, "Look at the _booty _that I found!"

"Hm?" the Kagirinai looked over his shoulder, and saw one of the workers holding up a woman while a number of the others leered at her with lust.

Hime recognized the woman, "Reiri…"

"Drop her." Kagirinai ordered.

"Like hell!" the worker sneered, "We're going to have fun with this bitch's corpse! She's still got a bit of warmth left, so she's still good!"

Kagirinai clasped the hilt of his nodachi, "Reap the damned…"

The worker's face slowly paled as Kagirinai slowly drew out his nodachi.

"…And send their souls into torment…" about a quarter of the long nodachi was out of the sheath.

Most of the workers had started running away from Kagirinai and were seeking shelter in the remains of the mansion.

"…Naraku no Ookami (Hell's Wolf)!" a burst of black smoke came from the nodachi has Kagirinai pulled the rest of it out of its sheath and the smoke obscured jim from view.

"End him…" Kagirinai's cold voice commanded. A gold, white, and red blur sped out of the smoke and lunged at the paled worker as he screamed. One seconded he was there then the next he was little more than a pile of meat and blood and few bones.

A massive white wolf with a red mane of fur around its head with a trail of golden fur along its back that branched off to cover its back legs and an impossibly large tail that was half of its body length.

Hime stared at the wolf with wide eyes. It was easily as tall as Kagirinai was if it stood on its hind legs, and Kagirinai was at least a head taller than her. Hime also noticed that the front paws were impossibly large and more in the shape of human hands than paws, and the hind legs' paws were like the front paws, they were much more like human feet than paws.

It was the eyes that got Hime's attention the most though. They were two bright golden orbs that seemed to hold a light of intelligence in them. Eyes that seemed familiar…

"Good job." Kagirinai congratulated as the wolf reached him and scratched it behind the ears as the tail wagged around happily, "You did good, Riza."

Hime's eyes had drifted back to Kagirinai when the wolf had reached him, but at the mention of Riza her eyes snap back down to the wolf.

The wolf let out a happy bark and held its head high in what looked like confidence. Kagirinai's head turned to Hime, he noticed her gaze on the wolf, and smiled under his mask.

"Go on," he said, "Go say 'hi'."

The wolf bound over to Hime with a bounce in its step, it let out several barks as it reached her, tail wagging like mad.

"You can see what's happened to Riza over the years." Kagirinai said, "I take it you're surprised."

"Wh… How did…?" Hime trailed off not knowing the right words to say, she was still far to stunned, it was one surprise after another.

"How did this happen?" Kagirinai asked, "It's a long story; I can tell you later after we've a nice place to sit down inside."

However Kagirinai seemed to frown under his mask and looked at Reiri's corpse, "Riza, go get Reiri…"

Riza looked over at Reiri and nodded and went over and used her front paws/hands to pick the vampire up and put her on her back and came back over and set her down in front of Hime.

"Mistress," Kagirinai said getting down on one knee, "Please, will you bestow upon Reiri some of your beloved blood?"

"What?" Hime looked at Kagirinai conf usedly.

"Please, Mistress," Kagirinai pleaded, "Bestow Reiri with your mighty life giving blood."

"You want me to make her my blood warrior…?" Hime questioned.

"Yes…" the masked man said, "She served you once, she will do so again…"

"Also…" Kagirinai paused, "Could you do the same for me…?"

Kagirinai then toppled over Reiri in a heap.

"Hiro!" Hime cried as Riza let out an urgent bark.

Hime bit down on her finger until it bled and flipped Kagirinai around onto his back and removed his mask and put her bleeding finger into his mouth and let the drops of blood slide down Kagirinai's throat. His one eye cracked open.

He let out a crooked smile, "Sorry… guess I let myself get lax and needed your blood again for a moment…"

He sat up and shook his head, his long white hair flying around a bit, "Haven't felt nearly dead for a long time now, it felt... strange..."

As Kagirinai stood up, Hime looked at her still bleeding finger and then Reiri's body…

Hime gently lifted Reiri's head up and dipped her finger into her mouth. After a few moments Reiri's eyes fluttered open.

"Well now... Welcome back to the land of the living Reiri." Kagirinai said, his mask back in place.

**Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4!  
_**

"What… happened…?" Reiri groaned.

Riza barked out a response. Reiri stared at her.

"What kind of mangy mutt is that?" she gasped.

"That's 'the bitch', as you would put it." Hime told Reiri.

"Huh?" Riza came over and licked at Reiri's fingers.

"Riza's become an actual dog, Reiri-san." Kagirinai said.

Riza let out something that sounded like a cross between a whine and a growl.

"Oh, shut up, Riza." Kagirinai told her. Riza whine-growled again. Kagirinai rolled his eye and snapped his fingers and Riza turned into black smoke and flew into his sheath and turned back into his body length nodachi.

It was then that Hime noticed that Kagirinai's sword had actually disappeared when the black smoke had first erupted from it. Riza was actually his sword…?

"You…!" Kagirinai and Hime looked down at Reiri, "You're-You're… Kagirinai Tsuwamono…!"

Reiri looked like she was going to turn into bats any second and fly off even though it was daylight.

"What's the matter Reiri-san?" Kagirinai asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Reiri noticed Hime next to her, she whispered, "Princess, run on my signal…!"

"Run?" Hime asked, "Why would I want to run? I'm fine right here."

Kagirinai bent down at the waist and looked at Reiri, "Really, is there something wrong? If there is I'll see what I can do."

The masked swordsman looked at Reiri's face, it was clearly terrified. He looked around and reached out with his senses. There was nothing save for the other cowering workers hiding in the mansion's near skeletal framework and themselves. He looked at Reiri again, her gaze was directed at him…

It suddenly clicked. Kagirinai laughed aloud, which only seemed to scare Reiri further.

"Now what's gotten into _you_?" Hime asked.

"It's me!" Kagirinai laughed, "She's scared of _me_!"

Hime looked at Kagirinai confused. Kagirinai sat down still laughing which died to down into a chuckling as he removed his masked.

Kagirinai's one red eye held sparks of laughter as he was finally able to stop his laughter-turned-chuckling.

"Ah, Reiri, Reiri, Reiri…" Kagirinai shook his head, his amusement still clear, "It's me."

Reiri didn't say anything, she just continued to stare at Kagirinai, now a bit more in surprise than in fear.

"She still doesn't seem to see it." Kagirinai sighed, "Mistress, if you would please…?"

"Reiri," Hime said, "You _know _him. He's just looks different now… and he's more 'mature' now."

Reiri still stared at Kagirinai.

Hime sighed, she turned Reiri's head to look her in the eyes, "Reiri… that's _Hiro_."

"Wha… What are you talking about Hime!" Reiri looked at the princess like she was insane, "Hiro died nine years ago…!"

Kagirinai now made Reiri look at him, "You tried to seduce Hiro Hiyorimi into sex nine yeas ago on the tenth of September."

Reiri started sputtering, "I-When-Where-How do you…!"

"How do I know?" Kagirinai finished for the vampire, "Look me in the one eye that I have left and tell me."

Reiri looked at Kagirinai and saw a much younger boy's form seem to over lap his.

"Are you really… Hiro…?" Reiri asked.

"I am." Kagirinai said, he eye suddenly spotted something behind Reiri, his eye narrowed, he touched his nodachi, "Fetch."

The sword erupted into black smoke and turned back into Riza as she leapt at her targets. Some of the workers had gotten gutsy and tried to make a break for it. Soon all that was left of them were their lingering screams and small piles of flesh.

"Fools." Kagirinai snorted, he saw something else that… 'worried' him, "Uh… Mistress…? Is something wrong?"

An evil shroud had seemed to envelope Hime and she was cast into shadow and surrounded by a dark aura as her eyes glowed red.

"Reiri…" Hime slowly in a low voice, "You are going to die again!"

Kagirinai moved in front of Hime, putting a very scared (again) Reiri behind his legs.

"Now, Now, Mistress," Kagirinai said trying to sway Hime's anger, "Just calm down…"

"Move." Hime ordered.

"There really is no need for this…!"

Hime's hand gripped Kagirinai arm.

"Reiri, run!" Kagirinai commanded, as Hime threw him away with strength that he had no idea that she possessed, making him oddly reminiscent of the past.

Reiri turned into bats and flew away into town just as Hime tried to grab her.

"Come back here!" Hime shouted as she gave chase.

Kagirinai picked himself up off the ground and cracked his neck as steam rose up from it. The real reason why he tried to 'protect' Reiri he didn't want to see Hime straining herself. Besides, Reiri had been revived as Blood Warrior, she'd heal.

"Woof!" Riza came trotting after Kagirinai and sat in front of him. Kagirinai scratched Riza behind the ears, he looked back at the mansion and saw some of the workers peeking their heads out.

"Well?" Kagirinai barked, "Get back to work! NOW!"

It took another twenty minutes of hard work, sweat, 'minor' threats from Kagirinai about dismemberment, and Riza nipping at the more lazy workers' heels to get the rest of the mansion torn down.

"**Alright maggots!" Kagirinai shouted, "Now we wait until the supplies for the new mansion get here!" **

The workers all collapsed to the ground in exhaustion buckets of sweat rolling off of each of them.

The ground a few feet away from Kagirinai's feet collapsed in on itself and formed a hole just large enough for a person to get through . A mole man came halfway out of the hole. He looked at Kagirinai and grinned.

"Ladd." Kagirinai said, "How've you been?"

"I've been good Kagi-san!" Ladd said happily, "Still, why did I have to bring you these supplies in broad daylight? You know I hate the sun!"

"I know, Ladd. I know." Kagirinai said sympathetically, "All you need to do is get the supplies up here and you can go. The idiot workers can do the rest."

"Gotcha." Ladd said as he came completely out of the hole and stood next to Kagirinai, "Alright, boys! Bring 'em up!"

Close to another dozen holes strewn about the lawn opened up and a multitude of other mole people came out carrying wood, bags of concrete mix, bricks, dry wall, insulation, and many other things.

"OK maggots! Break's over!" Kagirinai called, "Back to work!"

"That was barely a minute!" someone called. That poor idiot became Riza's next little snack, bloodcurdling screams followed his death.

"I hope there are no other complaints?" Kagirinai asked with an edge to his voice. The workers' answer was to start building the outline of base.

"Oh, and here are the plans that you asked for." Ladd said handing Kagirinai a few blue prints, "Made by our best architect as asked."

"Thanks." Kagirinai said flipping through the plans, "You have perfect timing by the way."

"I came just as their 'break' started?" Ladd guessed.

"Yep." Kagirinai laughed, "Why else do you think that one bastard got eaten?"

"I think I recognize some of those guys." Ladd said as he looked closer at the workers.

"I wouldn't be surprised, they're all out of the Monster Prison. On death's row too." Kagirinai said, "So if I ask for some of the bastards to work for me in the form of manual labor and I kill them afterwards, all I have to do is ask and they're mine."

"Really?" Ladd asked, "I also take it it's part of who you are now? Eh, Hiro?"

"Please don't call me that unless we're in private, Ladd." Kagirinai said, "I have a reputation to keep."

"Sorry, sorry." Ladd apologized with a laugh.

"It's fine." Kagirinai said, "Just be more careful next time."

"Alright." before either of them could say anymore a swarm of bats converged between them and turned into Reiri.

Ladd stared at Reiri's bottom, a bit of drool coming out from between his lips.

"Please…" Reiri panted as steam seemed to rising in random splotches all over her body, "Help me! The sun is wearing me down and I can't run from the princess much longer…! Please, Kagirinai-Hiro-whoever! Just please help me!"

Kagirinai stared at Reiri through his mask, while even if he did leave Reiri to Hime's… 'wrath'… she would be healed… hopefully… But if he did leave her that might put him off her 'good' list. But if he did help her that might only fuel the fires in Hime and turn her on him.

Decision making… Kagirinai believed, could get very annoying at times… He let out a long sigh.

"Fine." he said, "Wait here and make sure those idiots follow these plans."

He shoved the plans over to Reiri and she scampered off into the safety of the shade of a tree. Meanwhile Kagirinai started off down the winding hill road to go intercept Hime.

He met Hime halfway down, she was carrying a chainsaw in her right hand and was stalking up the hill with that same dark aura around her.

"Mistress." Kagirinai said, "Please wait a moment."

"Move, Hiro." Hime ordered.

"Not until you calm down," Kagirinai countered.

"I'm perfectly calm!"

"No you're not." Kagirinai said, "Take a breath and think."

Hime pointed the chainsaw at Kagirinai, "Move or else."

Kagirinai frowned as he removed his mask, "Your 'or else' won't do anything to me and you know it."

"I'm going to tear that vampire in half!" Hime snapped.

"I said to calm down, Mistress…" Kagirinai started as he walked forward, "I mean it."

"But if you really are so intent on getting to Reiri," Kagirinai put the chainsaw against his chest, "Then start the chainsaw and cut your way through me."

Hime took a step back, "What…?"

"I'll heal, remember? I'll live. I am immortal. I am your Kagirinai Tsuwamono." Kagirinai said pushing forward, the chainsaw lightly cutting into his bodysuit and making him bleed; steam rising from the tiny wound closing it instantly, "I am yours to do with. I you wish me gone then I will leave. If you want me dead then I will find ditch to live in until my time is up. I've already died once, so what else is there for me to do? If you truly want me out of your way then I suppose I'll just leave and allow myself to become dead permanently…!"

The sound of Hime's hand colliding with Hiro's cheek sent out a resounding 'CRACK' through the air.

"Don't you dare…" Hime ground out, "Don't you dare even try to _ever _say that again!"

"Better?" Kagirinai asked putting a hand to his lightly rending cheek, "Or do you need to vent some more?"

Hime looked into Kagirinai's one eye, "You _wanted_ me to do that!"

"Not particularly slap me per say," Kagirinai said placing his mask back on, "But something to help you with your anger."

"So?" he asked, "_Are _you better?"

"Yes," Hime said after a deep breath, "I'm better now."

"Good," Kagirinai said, turning around, "Let's go see how that new mansion is coming along."

Hime and Kagirinai went back up the hill and reached the construction site.

"Damn, they work fast!" Kagirinai exclaimed as he and Hime reached the top of the hill. The entire mansion was built up already and was painted, and the workers had already started moving what looked to be the last of the furniture in.

"Woof!" Riza came running up to Hime, "Woof! Woof!"

Hime reached out and gave Riza a small scratch behind the ears, and Riza's large tail thumped against the ground happily.

"The bitch didn't listen to a thing I said!" Reiri complained, "She needs more training!"

"Riza only listen's to me." Kagirinai said, "An unfortunate thing about being a near full animal: your mind starts to degrade into that _of _a real animal."

"Thank god! We're done!" Kagirinai heard some of the workers say.

"Riza." Kagirinai pointed at the workers, "Kill."

Riza jumped at the mass of workers and started tearing into them, blood, flesh, bone, limbs, and many other things went flying all around as the workers were completely butchered, their blood soaking the ground and staining it red.

"Well," Kagirinai said, "Let's go have a look inside shall we?"

**Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five!  
_**

"It looks completely different." Reiri wondered as she looked around the new foyer.

Silver drapes hung from the ceiling, the floor and walls were made of white marble, a red carpet outlined with gold led the way from the front doors to up the stairs on both ways to the east and west wings, the mansion having faced to the north. The rails up the stairs where oak and were polished to a shine. The door to the left that led off into the kitchen and dinning room was also made of oak and well polished to a gleaming shine. The stairs and whole upper part of the mansion that they could see was made out of black marble as a stark contrast to the white of the walls and floor. A massive chandelier, bigger than the one that was there before, hung from the ceiling in a beautiful grace and was made from what looked like pure gold with diamonds hanging off the edges.

Kagirinai started up the stairs, Hime and Reiri following after him, he made a sharp turn to the east wing and continued on, running a hand over the railing, looking at it from behind his mask in admiration. This was the finest work he'd seen in a long time. He hadn't seen this good of work since he last saw Iyok…

His mind turned back to his friend he met only a year after Hime had been ripped from the timeline, Iyok was a good person that had helped him out of more than one scrape, sometimes he wondered where he would be if Iyok wasn't there to save him… If she didn't kill him first, that is. Especially when they first met.

_Enter Memory_

"_Damn it!" Hiro swore, as he clutched his slowly mending shoulder and glared at the woman standing in front of him, holding a small knife in her hand. Her dark blue eyes stared at him in a bored manner._

"_Is that all?" the woman asked, "Mister 'Immortal'?"_

_Hiro spat out a glob of blood and tightened his grip on the short sword in his hand, his shoulder still slowly closing, the steam that signified his superior healing was barely rising from the wound._

"_Bitch!" Hiro swore again, "I won't lose here! I wont die, not now, not ever, until she comes back!"_

"_What's your name?" the woman asked._

"_Hiro." Hiro panted as wiped some blood away from his eyes, "Hiro Hiyorimi."_

"_Hiro, huh?" the woman said testing the name out for herself, "Tell me: who are you waiting for?"_

"_Hi… My Mistress," Hiro answered._

"_You're mistress?" the woman questioned, "And who might this 'mistress' be?"_

"_Fuck off." Hiro said using one of the more vulgar words in his vocabulary._

"_Aren't you brash, Hiro?" the woman seemed to taunt him. She looked up at the night sky above them as the clouds parted over head letting through bright moonlight._

"_A full moon," the woman mumbled, "How pretty…"_

"_A full moon…" Hiro repeated to himself, he grinned, "Fate is with me tonight."_

_The woman looked at Hiro, "What are you mumbling about over there?"_

_Hiro held his sword above his head, bathing it in the light of the moon. The blade glowed silver, and Hiro swung it down to his side and the ground cracked behind him and exploded upward into a what almost looked like a small, new cliff face. The air behind him exploded forward binging up a gale that forced the woman to bring her arms up to shield her face against the dust and dirt that flew toward her._

_Only a small glimpse of silver was her warning, she leapt to the side and rolled along the ground and landed in a crouch holding up her knife._

_Hiro looked at her with his sword propped up on his shoulder, his shoulder length hair flowing about his head in a graceful and frightening manner._

"_I told you my name," Hiro said, his voice now having a certain grace to it, "So what's your's?"_

"_Iyok," the woman said standing back up, "My name is Iyok."_

"_A pleasure then, Iyok." Hiro said pointing his sword at Iyok, "Let's go Riza!"_

_Iyok held up her knife, "We'll poison him, Jato."_

_Exit Memory_

Kagirinai smiled to himself as he kept exploring the new and far more impressive interior of the mansion. He looked out a window at the setting sun, they'd spent a while looking things over it seemed. The orange, red, and yellow bath that sky had been placed in looked beautiful. Like the sky had been set ablaze. It brought back another fond memory.

_Enter Memory_

_Hiro fell back on the ground panting, "You're a pain *pant* in the *pant* ass!"_

"_So are *pant* you!" Iyok heaved while on her knees, "You were *pant* stronger *pant* than I first thought…"_

_Hiro looked out to the east, he could see the very first bits of light coming over the horizon._

"_Look at that…" Hiro panted, "We fought all the way till dawn…"_

"_Yeah…" Iyok said, looking at the sun as it steadily came up, "How pretty…"_

"_So do you have a reason?" Hiro suddenly asked._

"_A reason?" Iyok echoed, "What for?"_

"_For fighting." Hiro said, "What's your reason?"_

_Iyok fell silent for a few moments, "Does someone need a reason to fight?"_

_Hiro sat up and looked at Iyok, "You mean you just fight because you can?"_

"_I fight because that's how I was raised," Iyok answered, "It's the way of my people, fighting is our greatest aspect."_

_Hiro frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"_

"_My people," Iyok said, "Are all that's left of the pure blooded Spartans."_

_Hiro stared at Iyok, "You're an actual Spartan? Like from Greek and Roman times kind of Spartan?"_

"_Yes." Iyok nodded, "We are the last…"_

"_Who all is 'we'?"_

"_Just me," Iyok said quietly, "And only a small handful of others… And I'm the youngest of them all and the youngest male is in his forties."_

"_His forties, huh?" Hiro pursed his lips together, "It must be rough."_

"_Yes, it is very rough." Iyok sighed as she pulled her knees to her chest, "And I'm the only woman capable of baring any children and the only male that's young enough for me is nearly thirty years my elder…"_

_Hirolooked at the sun again, the sun was now high enough that it painted the sky a fiery red and orange. Like twisting flames spread all across the sky, red and orange and bits of yellow and even purple blended into each other, making the sky a pure myriad of colors._

"_Hey, look." Hiro said pointing out to the sky._

"_Wow!" Iyok breathed, "I've never seen sunrise like that!"_

"_A new day," Hiro said standing, "Is also a time for new beginnings, I believe."_

_He held out his hand to Iyok, "Let's start again. I'm Hiro."_

_Iyok took his head and he pulled her to her feet, "I'm Iyok, Hiro-kun."_

"_A pleasure, Iyok-san."_

_Exit Memory_

Kagirinai smiled under his mask, he remembered his and Iyok's beginning together well. Just like it was yesterday. He made his way through the red carpeted hallways of the west wing, the white walls and black floor echoing with each step he took despite the carpet under his feet. He looked down at the floor, the red carpet on the black floor. Reed and black normally look good together, like right now. But…

It had small resemblance to blood.

_Enter Memory_

_Hiro fell to his knees as crimson liquid flowed from his stomach to the ground, using his o-katana to support himself as steam rose from his wound sealing it shut._

_His brown eyes glared twisted daggers at the pitch black troll standing above him mockingly, the monster smiled an ugly smile filled with sharp, jagged, and broken yellow and blackened teeth. The troll picked him up by his collar and brought Hiro to eye level with itself._

"_Bastard!" Hiro spat._

"_You're cute, kid," the troll chuckled, "Still think you can win against me?"_

_Hiro gave a bloody grin, "Damn straight."_

_The troll threw Hiro to the side and making him crash into a boulder that shattered on impact, steam now rising from all over the back of Hiro's body. Once his neck was fixed up enough he turned it so he could look at the troll more clearly..._

_The bastard wasn't even paying attention to him anymore! He was off looking through some bushes for who knows what! Hiro's eyes glared and narrowed into thin slits as he got to his feet and pointed his o-katana at the troll. The brunet ground his teeth and placed both of his hands on his sword._

"_I am the perfect steel…" Hiro ground out. He raced forward the point of his sword first. He rammed it right into the troll's back with such force that the tip could barely be seen coming out the front._

_The troll tried to say something, or mabye scream, but it only came out as a gurgle of spit, bile, and blood as it all splattered out in front of the monster. The troll wobbled on his feet for a moment before falling to his knees and then collapsing forward again his face going into the dirt._

_Hiro pulled his sword out of the monster's back and stood above it, the pitch black skin of the monster seemed to blend with its red blood that oozed out of its back and chest. Hiro stared at the dead monster, his first true kill..._

_Red and black normally looked good together… not this time. Hiro hurled._

_Exit Memory_

Kagirinai turned away from the carpet and floor, _'So many memories coming up right now…'_

"Hiro." Kagirinai turned to see Hime standing next to him, a hand on his arm, "It's late, we share a bed now, remember?"

Kagirinai chuckled, "Yeah, we do, let's get some sleep."  
_

**And that's it! Review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

)(

Kagirinai's one red eye flickered open. He extended his other senses into his surroundings. Two other beings in the area, very close by. Both sleeping. One was Riza. The other was familiar. No traps were set up, no one was trying to conceal their presence.

'_Safe.'_ Kagirinai thought, he sat up. He looked around and caught a glimpse of sunlight coming in through the curtains. The events of the past day came back to him. He looked to he side, Hime lay sleeping next to him.

He gently brushed the tips of his fingers across her face, she was like a doll. Long golden hair, flawless skin. He took notice of the sleeping gown that she had slipped into the night before. It was loose, but it showed her curves off nicely. He was just thankful that he got Ladd to bring plenty of clothes along with the construction materials.

Kagirinai smiled faintly. She was his now. He had to admit, the thought of not being in battle almost constantly anymore did sound boring, but he was sure he'd find other ways to pass the time. Wait… did he smell food being prepared?

)(

"Third Princess Sherwood." the Head Captain of the Royal Guard said through his helm, "It has come to pass that First Princess Sylvia has passed on and that you are the last remaining child of the King."

Sherwood looked at the Head Captain who had just arrived at her crumbling mansion, "Who killed her?"

The Head Captain and the other knights with him looked at each other, "What do you mean, Your Highness? Was it not you?"

"No." Sherwood said, "Sylvia had trapped me in my own basement for a time and I only recently got out."

The Head Captain frowned behind his helmet, he turned to two of the knights with him, "You two, go investigate the mansion, if it was not Princess Sherwood who killed Princess Sylvia, then I want to know who did."

"Sir!" the two knights saluted and turned around and left for Sylvia's mansion. The Head Captain turned back to Sherwood.

"Whoever it was that killed Princess Sylvia, we will find out who they are," he said, "None are beyond the power of the Royal family's Personal Guard."

Sherwood rolled her eyes, _'Idiots. Always priding themselves on their rank. And I already know who it was.'_

It was an hour later of waiting in silence that the two knights returned, they looked scared and their eyes were darting everywhere as if looking for something.

"What's wrong with you two?" the Head Captain demanded, "What did you find?"

One of the knights gulped, "S-Sir, we believe that it may have been…"

The knight trailed off, as if scared to finish his sentence.

"It may have been what?" the Head Captain barked.

The other knight took a shaky breath, "We think it may have been Kagirinai, Sir…"

The Head Captain's words caught in his throat. Kagirinai had been close by… then, that meant he still could be nearby…

Sherwood herself looking uneasy, now. So it wasn't Hime-onee-sama that killed Sylvia? "Your Highness," The Head Captain said, "We must leave, _now_."

Sherwood nodded, "Alright, Head Captain Irit. But… there's one thing I wish to check on first."

Head Captain Irit shook his head, "Whatever it is it must wait, Your Highness. We cannot linger in one place for too long in case Kagirinai is still nearby."

Sherwood made to argue, but stopped herself. She nodded. They had to leave, or else they may die by Kagirinai's hand.

'_Please, be safe, Onee-sama.'_

)(

"Hime and Riza were both in the room," Kagirinai mumbled as he walked through the halls in only a loose fitting t-shirt and grey sweatpants, "And there's no way that Reiri would be up right now. So who the hell is cooking?"

He passed through the main foyer and went through the door to the dining room and opened another door that lead to the kitchen. Someone was standing over the stove. They wore a standard maid outfit and had long brown hair that was done up in a bun in the back that dropped down into a ponytail that went down to just below their shoulder blades, they were humming a happy tune as they worked.

"Who are you?" Kagirinai demanded. The person, a woman as Kagirinai had determined, turned around surprised. Kagirinai's eye went wide and his lips parted in a silent gasp. The woman, who had an impressive chest, stared back at Kagirinai. Her large blue eyes were wide in surprise.

"Sis…?" Kagirinai thought his voice had cracked for a moment. The brunette cautiously made her way over to Kagirinai, her eyes still wide, she carefully raised a hand and lightly touched Kagirinai's scar over his lost eye.

"You grew," the woman said, her face changing to that of a smile, "And you definitely became more handsome. Big Sister, approves."

"How…?" it was the only thing Kagirinai could manage to let out.

"Big Sister it's as dumb as she lets on." Sawawa smiled, "I knew all about what was going on, I left about an hour before the bomb went off."

Sawawa hugged Kagirinai, "I missed you, Hiro."

Kagirinai returned the hug, almost not believing that this was real, "I missed you, too, Sawawa. And it's Kagirinai, now."

"You're still Hiro to me." Sawawa smiled breaking the hug, "Now I have to finish breakfast. And, yes, I'll make sure Oujo-sama gets her morning tea. Shoo shoo."

Kagirinai laughed lightly, "Alright, I'm going!"

_'Everyone else is going to be so surprised,'_ Kagirinai thought humorously.

)(

"Why would Kagirinai kill Sylvia…?" Irit wondered to himself as he paced in his chambers. It didn't make sense. Yes, Kagirinai was renowned for killing many people that had no relation to one another, but he had never gone after anyone from the Royal Family that they knew of before now. So why…?

Irit rubbed his temple. 'Why?' that was what plagued his mind, why would Kagirinai do this? What was his reason? An idea came to him. He ran through the speech that Kagirinai was famous for in his mind.

_I am the eternal void. I am the perfect steel. I am the undying sword. With my sword in hand I will reap the souls of my enemies and protect my Mistress. I am Kagirinai Tsuwamono. Your end has come._

He ran through it again and again, until he lost count of how many times he rehearsed it. Then it hit him. _'Mistress'_. _'…protect my Mistress.'_ that was it! Kagirinai was serving someone! How had no one noticed it before? Kagirinai had killed Sylvia because she was a threat to this 'Mistress'!

Then an even more disturbing thought occurred to him: who could possibly be powerful enough to gain Kagirinai's servitude?

Kagirinai was powerful enough on his own. It was once said that he'd fell twenty mountain orcs, five elder treants, and a senior mage from the Magisters' Circle all at once. But, if there was someone who was strong enough that even Kagirinai would bow to, then what the hell were they really facing each time Kagirinai showed himself?

Irit shivered, such foreboding thoughts did not sit well with him. They needed to investigate things further.

)(

Hime opened her eyes, she just laid in bed for a few moments before sitting up. Kagirinai wasn't in bed with her, she did here a gently breathing though. She looked over the side of the bed and saw Riza still sleeping away on the floor.

Hime got out of bed, being mindful of Riza, and went over to the large closet in the wall, she doubted that she would have her normal gothic-looking dresses in there but she decided she would see what she could put together.

The first thing she noticed was the amount of shoes. There had to be at lest two dozen pairs of shoes! Wait, were those Italian shoes there? And were those three pairs on the left end designer shoes? She even saw a pair of boots that were similar to her normal ones.

'_That man is getting a kiss next time I see him.'_ Hime thought. She had to force her eyes away from the shoes to look at the rest of the clothes. She nearly toppled over when she saw the amount, there had to be three times as many outfits as shoes!

Hime instantly started going through them, a few were like some outfits she wore when she was younger and still living at the castle, others were a bit more like commoner clothes, but still looked pretty and plenty fitting for someone like her. She spotted a red outfit and pulled it out.

It was a dress somewhat like her old one but a bit smaller. She held it against herself and looked in a full-body sized mirror that was against the wall. It would only come down to three-fourths down her thighs, which would show off a good bit of her legs it ended in black frills. It's sleeves would cover up to halfway down her forearms.

It wasn't something too extravagant nor too dull. Now, she knew she saw a pair of black boots that would've gone perfectly with this dress.

)(

**OK, end! Let me know what you all think. There'll be action in the next chapter, promise!**

**Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

)(

"Are you _absolutely _sure?" Irit asked.

"Yes." the messenger sighed, why couldn't the Head Captain just accept what he was telling him?

"We discovered it only an hour ago, Sir." the messenger repeated… again, "It seems that Second Princess Lillian's mansion has been rebuilt and there appears to be some people currently living there, we have not been able to identify who."

"Are there any possibilities?"

"It could be humans, Sir. Perhaps they bought the land and are currently living there?"

The Head Captain rubbed his temples. First Sylvia killed by Kagirinai and now this. A sudden and very horrifying thought came to Irit.

"Is there a chance that it could be… Kagirinai that's living there now?"

"K-Kagirinai, Sir? Why, why would you think that?" the messenger asked, unnerved.

"Think about it." Irit said, "Kagirinai killed Sylvia, for whatever reason, and now we find the Second Princess's mansion rebuilt and someone is living there, and it is all within a few days, don't you believe that's odd?"

"When you put it that way, Sir, yes, I do believe it is strange." the messenger shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot.

"Take a message to Fifteenth Guard Captain Undroh." Irit said, the messenger stood at attention, "Tell him to come to my office in thirty minutes, armed and armored, with a small contingent of his best troops, no more than four. I have an assignment for him."

)(

"I see you like the new clothes I got you." Hime turned around from examining herself in the mirror when she heard Kagirinai's voice.

"I love it." Hime smiled, "How'd you get so many clothes in here with me noticing?"

"I know people," Kagirinai smirked, "I've been making new 'friends' over the time you were gone."

"Like who?" Hime asked.

"Like people who'll do anything for the right amount of coin, or just want a good fight, or those who get me what I need to know in under a few hours of asking." Kagirinai shook his head, "Ah, the advantages winning against the underground's Scarlet Mauler Guild's Black Vurga will get you."

"Wait, Scarlet Mauler? _The _Scarlet Mauler Guild, one of the most influential and dangerous guilds? The one run by Blood Hand Terfea?"

"Is there any other?"

"And you beat Vurga, their best fighter other than Terfea?"

"Of course," Kagirinai pointed to his scar on his face, "How else do you think I got this scar? Playing with a kitten?"

Kagirinai gestured to the door and offered Hime his arm. She took it and Kagirinai led them out of the room.

"So how did you win against Vurga?" Hime asked.

"Do you want the long or short version?"

"I'll take the short for now."

"I finished him off with my bare hands. I would've killed him if Terfea hadn't gotten in the way. I broke his nose, fractured his jaw, ripped off his left hand's pinkie and ring fingers, crushed his right wrist, broke his foot, and almost split his collar bone apart." Kagirinai knew that was know simple feat, as did Hime as her eyes were wider than diner plates, "And he still wanted to fight even after Terfea said the match was over; those bladed knuckle dusters of his are something I don't want to face again anytime soon."

"Why were you even fighting him in the first place?"

"They tried to recruit me. I refused. They persisted, saying 'We'd be unstable with you in our ranks!'. Bullshit, one man does not make a difference, I may be strong, but I can be beaten if the opponent is strong enough. Anyway I eventually got tired of their constant hounding and challenged Vurga to a duel on the terms of if I won they would leave me alone but if I lost I'd join them. I won, of course."

"I see… That was stupid."

"I know."

"So about those people that can beat you, how many of them are there?" Hime questioned.

"Very few, all but three live away from society and in secret, most people passing them off as legends and not really existing."

"And the three that are in society?"

"Those would be Summoner Irea, Magister Hela and the soon-to-be Second to the soon-to-be Queen Sherwood, Temlain Forsi. He's young brat, but strong as hell."

"You're strong enough to face one of the strongest Summoners of their generation and Hela who's one of the most influential and the _only _combat capable of the Magisters that works for the Royal Family?"

"Yes, and don't forget Temlain." Kagirinai said.

"Who's he? I don't remember him." Hime said.

"That's right, he started getting a name for himself about a year after you disappeared." Kagirinai mused, "He put the down the Demon Axe guild with only ten troops, he killed two hundred of there low ranking members and imprisoned fifteen of their lieutenants, and publicly executed their leader and second-in-command after capturing them."

"The Demon Axe guild?" Hime asked, "I remember them only being a medium sized guild that was written off as not being a threat."

"They got involved in under-ground arms dealings and smuggling Rekit ore, they signed their death warrents the moment they started smuggling the ore. Many things have changed these long years." Kagirinai said as they reached the bottom of the stairs in the main foyer.

"I see that they do."

Hime sniffed the air, something tasty was being made, "Do I smell food?"

"A nice little surprise I found this morning when I woke up." Kagirinai smiled.

Kagirinai led Hime to the kitchen, he opened the door for her and she stepped through.

"Ah! Ojou-sama, your Earl Grey is ready, I was just about to call!" Sawawa said as she saw Hime coming into the kitchen.

"Sawawa? You're alive?" one surprise after another with this new present.

"Of course!" Sawawa replied happily, "I'm not so dense as to not figure out why the mansion kept getting destroyed or that there was a bomb under the floor boards here in the kitchen!"

Hime stared at Sawawa with surprised eyes. Kagirinai laughed, "Keep your mouth hanging like that and a fly or three is going to sneak in."

Hime closed her mouth quickly, she cleared her throat as an attempt to regain a small bit of her pride as a princess.

Sawawa giggled and set down a tea cup and saucer on the table and grabbed the kettle off the stove and poured Hime her Earl Grey.

"Ojou-sama, dozo." Sawawa smiled.

Hime paused for a moment before a small smile graced her own lips, things might have well been normal, like nothing had changed.

)(

"What is it, Head Captain?" Undroh yawned, "You know I don't like being woken up so early!"

"It's nearly eight a.m., Undroh." Irit said, "Everyone else is up by now."

Undroh looked at Irit with half-lidded and drowsy eyes, "What's your point?"

Irit sighed in frustration, "I have an assignment for you."

"What is it?" Undroh yawned.

"You are to investigate a mansion that has recently been rebuilt at the same spot as where the Second Princess's mansion used to be."

"What? That's it? It's probably some no-good humans that rebuilt the old place, why do I need to go?"

Irit leaned over his desk, his hands folded together and stared at Undroh with a deathly serious expression that seemed to wake Undroh up a bit more as a cold shiver ran down his spine.

"This is of the utmost secrecy, Undroh." Irit said, "Not even Her Majesty can know about it."

Undroh straightened up and despite his still half-asleep look, he was attentive, "What is so important about this, Head Captain?"

"I have reason to believe that Kagirinai Tsuwamono may be one of a few people inhabiting this new mansion." Irit said in a dark tone. The four men behind Undroh went completely still.

"I see," Undroh said, he raced through possibilities in his mind, reasons for Kagirinai for being there-strategic advantage?-to mock the royal family?-to make people believe the Second Princess was somehow still alive?-did he just want a nice home?

"Whatever his reasons," Irit continued, breaking Undroh's train of thought, "If Kagirinai truly is there then we must have proper confirmation. So your task is this: investigate the rebuilt mansion and gain confirmation as to the presence of Kagirinai Tsuwamono within the residence. Are these instructions clear?"

"Yes," Undroh said with a tired yet strangely hard tone, "Crystal, Sir."

)(

"Nice day, today." Kagirinai said aloud as he leaned against the railing of the small balcony and looked at the clear blue sky. Laying at his feet was Riza. She gave a small grunt of acknowledgment, preferring to sleep more than anything else.

"Hmph. Still lazy as hell, move once in a while." Kagirinai snorted, Riza looked up at his one good eye, she snorted and laid her head back down. Kagirinai rolled his eye at Riza's behavior and went back to looking out at Sasanaki. His eye trailed down unconsciously to look at the road that led up to the mansion and he spotted five figures coming up the road.

The Immortal Warrior frowned, brought his finger to right below his eye and concentrated. His vision became tunnel-like for a few moments before it showed the five figures in clarity four of them were simple Baboon-men and dressed in the standard Royal Guardsmen uniform. The one in the lead was different however, he was a Sloth-man, oddly enough, Sloth-men were known for their laziness and unwillingness to do anything productive. The Sloth-man was dressed similarly to the Baboon-men, but with two big differences there was a large pauldron on his left shoulder that was emblazoned with the Royal Family's crest and his helm had visor that was lifted up and a small row of spikes along the top of the helm that went from the front to the back.

'_A captain.'_ Kagirinai thought, this wasn't good, this was far from good. Things weren't supposed to be going to this way! Hime was dead to everyone save a few that knew the truth in this time, the battle for the crown was done with the moment he killed Sylvia, a captain of the Royal Guard should not be coming here! It would ruin everything!

A white mist slowly moved in around Kagirinai and it wrapped around him and within a few moments Kagirinai was fashioned in his combat outfit, his mask over his face and his sheath on his back. Riza looked at him before dissolving into mist and reforming into Kagirinai's sword.

'_They will not ruin the life I have waited nearly ten years to have!'_ Kagirinai thought with anger, _'They will not have it! They will not get Hime involved with that vile and wretched battle ever again!'_

)(

"I'm getting annoyed with having to walk so much…" Undroh moaned, "Will any of guys carry me the rest of the way?"

The four guards following all ignored his request.

Undroh sighed, he was tired, starting to feel hungry, and hated having to walk so much,; why did he join the Royal Army and get himself up to being a captain again?

'_Oh, right, because my mother was an exception to our kind and actually worked and made me do all of this crap…'_ Undroh thought miserably.

"**Not another step further, maggots…"**, a dark voice growled.

Undroh and his men stopped, the men out of surprise and fear, and Undroh for a chance to stop walking.

"And?" Undroh asked tiredly, "Who may I ask is speaking?"

"**Someone that will kill you if you don't leave, right now."**

"Is that so?"

"**I **_**will**_** kill you, Ser Captain. Do not make me repeat myself. **_**Leave**_**."**

"As much as I'd like to and go take a nap, I can't. I was told to investigate the dwellings at the summit of this, incredibly tiring, hill."

Kagirinai appeared in front of Undroh, "I warned you, Captain!"

Undroh stepped back in surprise and terror at the sight of Kagirinai suddenly appearing before him. Kagirinai loomed over Undroh close to a full five inches. Kagirinai's one red eye glared at Undroh through his mask full of barely surprised rage. Kagirinai slowly started to reach for his sword of his shoulder.

His voice was full of rage, cold, and dead all at the same time, "I am the eternal void."

One of the soldiers started to slowly back away in fear, "I am the perfect steel."

Two of them turned around and fled, "I am the undying sword."

The final soldier was frozen stiff, shaking in his armor, "With my sword in hand I will reap the souls of my enemies and protect my Mistress."

Undroh remained still, slowly reaching for his sword at his side, "I am Kagirinai Tsuwamono!"

"Your ends have come!" Undroh and Kagirinai's blades left their sheathes at the same time and clashed with a shower of sparks.

"As lazy as I am," Undroh said looking into Kagirinai's single eye hole in his mask, "I'm not just going to sit back watch you kill my men and me."

"So a Sloth-man can be willing to work at something should they so choose." Kagirinai stared back into Undroh's eyes.

The two kicked away from each other, disengaging their locked blades. The two took their stances, Kagirinai took the same one he had been in when he had fought Sylvia's servants and killed her. Undroh took stance that spaced his feet evenly apart and placed his sword in a defensive downward angle.

"The Adamant Style," Kagirinai appraised, "A mainly defensive style meant to block and deflect attacks from single and multiple directions both, covering even one's blind spots and then dealing devastating attacks to the opponent to end the fight without much effort. How very typical of a Sloth-man."

"I take it you've fought against this style before?" Undroh questioned, "And I am un-offended by your comment."

"Enough, talk." Kagirinai said, "Let our words and feeling be brought out through our blades!"

"Very well." Undroh nodded. He did not move however, one who had trained in the Adamant Style never made the first move.

It was something that Kagirinai knew well, he slowly circled Undroh, hoping to find some small flaw in his stance he could exploit, other than a slight imbalance that both of them hade due to the sloping terrain, he found nothing.

He knew from past experience that many fast attacks could overwhelm and Adamant Style fighter after a time, but it would take too long and would tax his own stamina as well. A small number of heavy and strong attacks could have a chance to smash through their defense, but if didn't then Undroh could easily counter-attack and heavily injure Kagirinai.

Kagirinai new he'd have to keep Undroh preoccupied with his attacks and not give him a chance to counter-attack before he found a way around his guard.

Kagirinai was in front of Undroh again by now, he stopped circling the sloth-man and took another look at his stance, he spotted something this time, it was how Undroh was holding his sword. He seemed to be trying to keep the base of his blade closer to his body than he should have been.

'_Let's see why that is.'_ Kagirinai thought. He dashed forward and aimed to have his blade collide with the base of Undroh's. Not allowing that to happen, Undroh dropped to one knee and swung his sword upward and the middle of his blade connected with Kagirinai's. The masked warrior backed away and stabbed at base of Undroh's sword yet again. And, again Undroh avoided the attack by sneaking the tip of his sword underneath Kagirinai's deflecting the blow.

'_One more time will finalize it.' _Kagirinai darted behind Undroh and swung his blade at close range, and in a way that would only leave Undroh's best option to block, would be with the base of his sword.

He didn't, instead he used exact center of the flat of his blade to block. Kagirinai heard Undroh grunt as he no doubt strained a muscle in his arm from such poor choice of trying to keep his arm straight while blocking in such a way. It confirmed Kagirinai's theory, the base of Undroh's blade was its weak-spot.

Kagirinai pulled away again, chuckling as he did so, "You've lost, Captain."

"I'm still standing aren't I?" Undroh snorted.

"Not for much longer." Kagirinai sprinted at Undroh. The captain was momentarily surprised by such an act, but was not deterred in his defense. Then Kagirinai did something he could never have foreseen.

Kagirinai's right hand shot out and latched onto Undroh's sword, the blade cutting into his palm and making it bleed, steam rose from the wound as he closed.

'An Immortal Soldier!' Undroh thought with horror.

While Undroh was distracted by Kagirinai's rapidly healing wound, Kagirinai's left hand flipped his nodachi into a reverse grip he planted it between Undroh and his sword's base. Sudden realization flashed through Undroh's eyes as he knew what Kagirinai was going to do. The white haired man pulled his sword down at an angle and snapped Undroh's sword into two at its base.

Undroh stared at his broken blade and then at Kagirinai then back to his blade.

"You've lost." Kagirinai repeated himself as he walked away from Undroh twenty paces and brought his sword up, "Empty Soul Style: Judgment."

Kagirinai swung down and the energy in his nodachi was released and arced forward and split Undroh in half.

"Another soul has departed." Kagirinai said as he sheathed his blade, he looked at the last soldier that had not fled, "Take a message to your superiors and soon-to-be Queen."

The terrified soldier swallowed heavily and nodded, too scared to refuse.

"Tell them that if I ever find even another trace of anyone of the monster realm anywhere near this manor again, uninvited, it will mean war with Royal Family itself, I will not tolerate any who dare try to threaten my Mistress's new life away from your damning battle."

He stared straight into the soldier's scared eyes, "Begone. I do not wish to look upon you any longer."

Kagirinai turned on his heel and started up the road to his home as the soldier turned and ran for his life.

'_No one will ever take you away from me again, Hime. You never wanted to be a part of the battle for the throne, and I will see to it that you are never a part of it again.' _Kagirinai thought with dedication.

Another thought occurred to him without him realizing it, _'Nor will any of our future children ever have to even know of the battle that you were once involved in, none of them will.'_

)(

**Done! Finally! I'm very sorry for being rather inactive for so long, things got a little hectic with life and what-not. Hopefully I'll be able to write a bit more frequently now, even with school starting up again in two weeks.**

**Review, please!**


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